Wolffpack. DeWolff

Out for some weeks, but I can't let this album pass you by. The LP arrived last week, so I could truly start listening. The opening is monumental after the first few seconds. There's no doubt with 'Yes You Do' DeWolff means business. The giant opening effortlessly moves into a great guitar riff and a kind of song Deep Purple was famous for a half a century ago. Add a little more groove and a little more soul and we're in 2021 albeit with a strange twist to the ghost of classic rock past.

DeWolff is still a band of young men but already there's a prolific output. I do not like all the albums just as much but all in all, all the albums have some great moments. Wolffpack is full of these. In lockdown the band has found the time to work on its new songs and the work certainly paid off. Wolffpack is full of inspiration and packed to the brim with the groove of a band that knows how good it is. And, let's face it, DeWolff is getting better at writing songs. The progression is a straight line going ever up. Next to that the brothers Van der Poel and their cousin Piso have become from huge talents, proficient players and singers. They have gotten to know their strengths and with them their weaknesses and can use, respectively ignore them to their great advantage.

The result is songs that are more to the point, using the best music of five decades ago to make songs for the here and now. Of course, DeWolff's main inspirations are still from an age when their parents were young. Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Led Zeppelin, just some obvious names that shine through on this album and in general over the past decade and a little.

So, DeWolff is not afraid to come up with an ultimate ballad like 'Do Me'. The organ sounds as sweet as Booker T. Jones' and Pablo's guitar is as soft as Hendrix' in one of his ballads on 'Electric Ladyland'. Never mind the nice harmonies under Pablo van der Poel's soft crooning voice. This is a song by a band full of confidence in itself. I'm certain it would never even contemplate bringing a song like this without it.

Overlooking the whole album, it is the diversity of songs that stands out. DeWolff shows what it is capable of. Another side to a band's sound is not necessarily better and neither is sounding more mature. On Wolffpack it is though. Compare Wolffpack to e.g. 'Grand Southern Electric' and you'll notice the growth, in all directions. Wolffpack is so much more diverse and better. The songs simply are more superior to the band's songs of seven years ago. The band members leave each other more space as well. Great guitar riffs are great guitar riffs, a warm organ solo or melodic run is just that. Just listen to 'Half Of Your Love' and you'll know what I mean.

It is the mix between a hardrocking band and one that allows its soul/pop side to come forward that makes Wolffpack an album to truly enjoy. Play it loud, play it soft, it works in all ways. The album is another great step forward in the career of a band aiming for greater things.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Wolffpack here:

https://dewolff.bandcamp.com/album/wolffpack

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Chemtrails Over The Country Club. Lana del Rey

It appears a lot has been written on Lana del Rey in the past year and not all positive. Whatever it was about, it all passed me by, as I have more to do than follow artists on a daily basis. For me it's about the music mostly and with Chemtrails Over The Country Club Ms. Del Rey delivers.

For me 'Ultraviolence' was the album that got me into Lana del Rey, the two albums that followed were certainly less interesting and then 'Norman Fucking Rockwell!' got into my life and I could not really believe my ears. No, it was not about Dan Auerbach as a producer persé. NFR! was a great album, so expectations were quite high and I guess in the whole world. The pressure on the shoulders of the singer and her producer Jack Antonoff must have been pretty huge. What best to do than deliver?

Chemtrails ... as a whole is a more temperate album. The mood is more constant. This may fool people into a wrong conclusion. Like the one I read recently. Chemtrails ... is like an afterthought. I beg to differ. This album is a manifestation, a mirage in the desert that turns out to be the real thing. My ears invite me to fully surrender to the music that is like lapping warm water carrying me, soothing me, caressing me. What more could I want?

So, yes, you are right when you say that there's nothing exciting going on on Chemtrails .... If exciting means loud, exuberant and what not. Lana del Rey offers another form of excitement. The kind of being able to be thrilled by beautiful music. Of the kind of being excited to be able to hear her new songs.

These new songs are so subtle. You have to listen carefully to notice the swelling of music in certain passages, as they can pass you by easily when listening with half an ear. Pay attention and the warmth of Chemtrails ... will wash over you.

After several sessions with the album I can only conclude that Lana del Rey has settled herself among the greatest modern musicians. Where most are not for me, she certainly is. With three and a half album scoring on my good side, I have to conclude that I am a sort of fan.

Wout de Natris

Listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Vertigo Days. The Notwist

Ik ben nooit heel gek geweest op de muziek van The Notwist, maar het deze week verschenen Vertigo Days blaast me keer op keer van mijn sokken en wordt alleen maar mooier en indrukwekkender.

Het is een tijd stil geweest rond The Notwist, maar met Vertigo Days levert de band uit het Duitse Beieren deze week een bijzonder indrukwekkend album af. Invloeden uit de Krautrock hebben absoluut hun weg gevonden naar het nieuwe album van The Notwist, maar de Duitse band integreert deze invloeden op fascinerende wijze in haar muziek. Het levert een album op dat bol staat van de verrassende wendingen, maar het is ook een album met een aantal wonderschone en behoorlijk toegankelijke songs. Het zijn songs die alle kanten op kunnen schieten en je maar blijven verbazen, maar het zijn ook songs die je vanaf nu alleen maar intens wilt koesteren.

Toen Vertigo Days van The Notwist hier een week of twee geleden op de mat plofte, heb ik het album direct aan de kant gelegd. Ik had tot dusver immers helemaal niets met de muziek van de Duitse band. Ik had niets met de post-hardcore uit de vroege jaren van de band, niets met de elektronica van latere datum en zelf niets of hoogstens heel weinig met het uit 2002 stammende en wereldwijd uitvoerig bejubelde Neon Golden. 

Nu moet ik wel toegeven dat mijn oordeel over de muziek van The Notwist was gebaseerd op een beperkt aantal observaties, want als je eenmaal denkt dat een band niets voor je is, is de neiging om eens uitvoerig naar een nieuw album te gaan luisteren niet zo heel groot. Alle reden dus om ook Vertigo Days onmiddellijk terzijde te schuiven, tot er wel heel veel vijfsterren recensies opdoken en ik toch nieuwsgierig werd naar de nieuwe verrichtingen van de Duitse band. 

Negentien jaar geleden leverde dat bij beluistering van Neon Golden vooral teleurstelling op, maar dit keer liep het totaal anders. Al binnen enkele minuten was ik overtuigd van de kwaliteit van het nieuwe album van The Notwist en toen ik het album helemaal had gehoord, lag ook bij mij het woord meesterwerk op de lippen. Inmiddels ben ik een aantal luisterbeurten verder en Vertigo Days is eigenlijk alleen maar mooier en indrukwekkender geworden. 

De Duitse band heeft tijdens haar inmiddels ruim dertig jaar durende carrière al flink wat genres verkent, maar op Vertigo Days zoekt de band het vooral dicht bij huis. Invloeden uit de Krautrock spelen immers een belangrijke rol op het nieuwe album van The Notwist. Dat betekent overigens niet dat Vertigo Days ook een flinke stap terug zet in de tijd, want de band heeft invloeden uit de Krautrock gemoderniseerd en geïntegreerd in een geluid dat toch vooral eigentijds klinkt. 

Vertigo Days bevat voor een belangrijk deel popsongs met een kop en een staart, maar tussen die kop en die staart mag flink geëxperimenteerd worden. Het levert hier en daar betoverend mooie klanken op, die vervolgens worden gecombineerd met invloeden uit de elektronische muziek en de Krautrock. Atmosferische klanken krijgen gezelschap van meedogenloze ritmes, van een explosie van patronen en bijzondere geluiden en hier en daar van mooie vrouwenstemmen, die een fraai alternatief bieden voor de Duitse tongval van zanger Markus Archer. 

Het is razend knap hoe alle verschillende stromen waaruit de muziek van The Notwist bestaat steeds weer samen komen in songs die bol staan van het experiment, maar op een of andere manier toch aanstekelijk klinken. Het is minstens net zo knap hoe The Notwist steeds weer kan beginnen bij de pioniers van de Krautrock of de elektronische popmuziek uit Duitsland, maar in no time toch weer een of meerdere decennia later uit weet te komen. 

Soms blijft het hangen in de postpunk uit de jaren 80, soms in de popmuziek uit de jaren 90, maar The Notwist maakt ook de muziek van het heden en de toekomst. De bijzondere ritmes voorzien het album van heel veel tempo en dynamiek, waarna met name de elektronica de wat industrieel aandoende ruimtes mag vullen met heel veel moois. 

Vertigo Days sprankelt en betovert 49 minuten lang en sluit geweldig af met gastbijdragen van Juana Molina en Zayaendo, die dit prachtalbum nog een extra zetje omhoog geven. Absoluut een van de meest bijzondere releases van het prille muziekjaar 2021.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt Vertigo Days hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://thenotwist.bandcamp.com/album/vertigo-days

 

of luister naar onze Spotify Playlist om uit te vinden waar we over schrijven:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

 

Interview met Jan Stroomer van The Stream, deel 2

Interview: Wout de Natris

© WoNo Magazine 2021

 

Tussen kerst en nieuwjaar sprak Wout uitgebreid met Jan Stroomer van de Leidse band The Stream. Er viel veel te bespreken. Teveel om in een keer te kunnen weergeven. Voor wie het eerste deel nog niet heeft gelezen, dat kan hier alsnog: http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2021/01/interview-met-jan-stroomer-van-stream.html

In deel 1 stopten we min of meer bij de toch ietwat trieste conclusie "dat goede muziek niet uit zichzelf wordt ontdekt", met daarbij de nuancering dat dat eigenlijk voor alle produkten geldt.

In dit tweede deel kijken we naar de oorsprong van The Stream. Wat is er gebeurd in de jaren voor de eerste plaat en welke ontwikkelingen volgden daarop? Op dit moment immers is The Stream een, bij tijden vrij groot gezelschap, dat de muziek en ideeën van Jan Stroomer helpt vertalen en verwezelijken naar plaat en podium. Er volgt er nog één deel over de toekomst.

Hoe ben je als muzikant begonnen?

"Ik ben zelf begonnen". Dat was in een tijd dat Jan als inval-leerkracht natuurkunde werkte en bijlessen gaf, terwijl zijn studie op een uiterst laag pitje stond. Tegelijkertijd lag er een stapel liedjes. "Die bleven maar liggen". Tegelijkertijd merkte hij dat die eruit moesten om nieuwe inspiratie op te kunnen doen. Eind jaren 10 besloot hij om een eigen studio in te richten en de coverbandjes waarin hij speelde en een leuke boterham mee verdiende, achter zich te laten. Met de verdiende centen van het coveren in bands en solo op bijeenkomsten en in bars, werd de studio een realiteit. In de studio speelde hij het album in, met waar nodig hulp van bevriende muzikanten. Pas met het verschijnen van het album 'Tracks' in 2010, is er een liveband bij gezocht. "Mijn idee daarbij was dat we een echt bandje zouden worden, zoals Queen, Elton John of Billy Joel, de zingende pianist met zijn begeleidingsband. met koortjes en al". Er volgden (radio)optredens, maar ook beginnende stress binnen de band. Smaken liepen uiteen, maar ook verwachtingen. Andere leden verwachtten ook input te kunnen leveren. Er volgde nog een EP, 'Full House', met een livekant, waarop de bandleden een eigen rol hadden.

Inmiddels was er nieuw materiaal en daar had Jan zijn eigen ideeën over. "Ik ga het zelf opnemen, laagje voor laagje", besloot hij. Al luisterend concludeer ik dat hij een duidelijke keuze had gemaakt, voor zichzelf. De band speelde live nog wel, maar na een optreden in Paradiso (wat, lijkt mij, een hoogtepunt is) hield het op. De verwachtingen matchten niet langer. De plaat is nog wel samen afgemaakt, maar bij de release van 'Art Nouveau' speelde de band een bijrol. De nieuwe band was zoals The Stream nu nog optreedt: keyboards, bas, drums en drie zangeressen. Daarmee was The Stream zoals wij die nu kennen een feit.

Jan benadrukt wel, dat de oude band op goede voet uit elkaar ging. "Het was de juiste keuze". Daarna ging het snel. Het schrijven van songs ging sneller. Er kwam een veel productievere en creatievere flow uit mij na 'Art Nouveau'".

"Is 'Art Nouveau' dan ook een symbolische titel voor je"?

"Ja. Op twee manieren. Het nieuwe dat er in ligt, maar ook na drie jaar duwen en trekken zei ik dit is wie ik ben als songschrijver. Het is natuurlijk geen nieuwe kunst, maar wel voor mij persoonlijk. Ik had het ook renaissance kunnen noemen".

Als volgende wordt gekeken naar de bandsamenstelling. Er zijn niet veel bands zonder gitarist. The Stream is er een. "Was dat een bewuste keuze"?

"Ja, want het geeft mij meer ruimte op de piano. Ik ben ook de producent van de muziek. Ik zit aan de knoppen. In jaren 70 platen staat de piano altijd zachter, tenzij er even iets bijzonders gebeurt. Ik vind dat moeilijk, omdat bij mijn muziek de piano leidend is en de gitaar niet. Die moet alleen hoorbaar zijn als er iets bijzonders gebeurt. Live is het al helemaal een probleem, want de gitaar blaast een akoestische piano altijd weg. Ik kwam tot de conclusie dat ik de gitaar niet nodig had". Meer beschouwend, stelt Jan vast dat wie stelt in een (pop)rock band te zitten, verwachtingen tegen komt, waaraan The Stream niet voldoet. Men verwacht een gitaar in een (pop)rock band. Als interviewer/muziekliefhebber kan ik dat niet ontkennen., geef ik aan. "Dit kan tegen je werken", zegt Jan.

Dit is echter maar een deel van het verhaal en iedereen die The Stream (live) heeft gehoord weet dit, ook al is het onbewust, al. Met de komst van drie zangeressen wordt het harmonische deel van de band enorm opgevuld. "Een gitaar zit dat in de weg. Ik gebruik het achtergrond koor ook als een instrument".

Dat alles gezegd hebbende, viel er in 2020 voor het eerst sinds jaren weer een gitaar(solo) in de muziek van The Stream te horen. Maar men keek dan ook terug op de hele carrière tot nu toe. "Er ligt nog een bonustrack in het verschiet van de 'MMXV' sessie genaamd 'Anymore'". Het is dan ook niet principieel, zo gaf Jan aan, "want in de toekomst zou het best kunnen dat er een gitaarstuk opduikt als het zo zou uitkomen. Wel altijd als een gast muzikant, de basisband staat nu wel vast".

Sprekend over het achtergrondkoor. Heb je altijd al in je hoofd zitten wat er moet gebeuren of groeit dit als je met zijn vieren samen gaat zingen?

"Als ik schrijf, dan weet ik altijd wel waar ik een koortje wil hebben, of dat het een vraag en antwoord iets wordt. Zelf ben ik vaak de verteller, dat vind ik een prettige rol om aan te nemen. De dames geven dan antoord of commentaar. Dat zijn de rollen, die staan wel vast. De koortjes zelf is in eerste instantie de prettige samenwerking met Esmé Gabeler. Samen werken we lagen uit, die we opnemen. Vaak werkt dat goed, maar de laatste paar procenten die vallen pas met zijn vieren op zijn plaats".

Ik geef aan dat dit hoorbaar is. Het is echt genieten om de verschillende lagen in de samenzang te horen. Jan antwoordt dat hij dit zelf ook vindt. "Daarom staan er op 'Sweet Sally, Sad Departure' passages waar de dames alleen zingen over de piano heen".

Jij schrijft alles, bent duidelijk de bandleider. Zijn er ook voorbeelden dat de input van de muzikanten een song wezenlijk hebben veranderd?

"Ik denk dat circa 90% is uitgearrangeerd en vast staat, maar er is altijd ruimte voor input en spontaniteit. Een goed voorbeeld is de stilte in 'Messed Up' op 'Sweet Sally, Sad Departure'. Dat gebeurde per ongeluk door drummer Koen tijdens de repetitie even stilviel en dat was precies wat het liedje nodig had om het interessant te maken. Waar ook een duidelijk input en invloed is, is de sound en stijl die ze plakken op de nummers. Dat wat nummers voor hen eigen maakt. Dat is hun stempel op de sound".

Als volgende zet ik een paar namen naast elkaar en reageer er maar op.

Paul McCartney en Billy Joel.

"Oh, Billy Joel. Deze is te makkelijk.

Randy Newman en Billy Joel

"Die is moeilijker, maar dan ga ik toch voor Billy Joel. Ik vind de manier waarop hij popmuziek en klassieke achtergrond verbindt heel goed en hij is virtuozer. Newman is een fantastische arrangeur en schrijft goede liedjes. McCartney is live geweldig en een Beatle, dat zegt genoeg, maar Billy Joel is een voorbeeld. Zoals hij het doet, wil ik het ook. Hij is een zingende pianist met een pop/rock band om zich heen. Het is zo jammer dat hij niets meer heeft uitgebracht. 'River Of Dreams' was mijn eerste plaat en zijn laatste. Dat is heel lang geleden inmiddels".

Elton John en Tori Amos

"Dan ga ik voor Tori Amos. Elton John's vroege albums zijn prachtig, maar daarna heb ik er meer moeite mee. Hij neigt naar gezapig, terwijl rock en roll periode in de jaren 70 heel goed. Tori Amos is de jaren 90 vernieuwing ten top. Zij herkauwt niet, is geen retro. The Stream wordt vaak een retro act genoemd. Dat zijn wij niet, in mijn ogen, wij proberen heel veel versschillende stijlen uit".

"Zoals op 'A Night At The Opera', bijvoorbeeld", breng ik in. "Dat is ook een album waar van alles wordt uitgeprobeerd, met muziek uit de tijd van mijn ouders en misschien wel grootouders waarin ik in eind 1975 werd blootgesteld".

"Voor mij was Queen een eye opener. Door Queen kan ik heel veel verschillende dingen doen, op zoek naar verschillende dingen die samen een eenheid vormen. Voor mij is dat een heel logische stap. Door Queen dacht ik dat dat de standaard was en niet de uitzondering. Bij Tori Amos ontdekte een nieuwe manier van vrijheid, van geluiden. Men was digitaal piano gaan spelen. Zelfs Elton John. Men wist niet meer hoe een echte piano klinkt, alleen nog de Yamaha sample van een piano. Door Tori Amos veranderde dat weer. Zij speelde een echte vleugel op Lowlands terwijl er gecrowdsurft werd op haar muziek".

Tot zover deel 2.

Wout de Natris

Je kunt de muziek van The Stream hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://thestream.bandcamp.com/

 

of luister naar onze Spotify Playlist om uit te vinden waar we over schrijven:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Saturday Moon. Chantal Acda

A Dutch singer, living with her Belgian partner in Belgium, releasing her albums on a German record label, the bio of which was written by an American working out of Slovenia. Don't tell me that European integration doesn't work.

Saturday Moon is Chantal Acda's new album and it is an album that deserves attention. The single that was released beforehand, already announced that the singer was stretching her work a bit further. 'Disappear' is a seven minute piece of musical art raising the bar for the whole album tremendously. So how does the album as a whole fare?

Let me start by pointing out that Saturday Moon in my opinion has two faces. One is the experimental music that was shown with 'Disappear' already. The other face is a form of modern folk. Melodically I can hear Chantal Acda reaching out over time and space to Fairport Convention and Sandy Denny, musically she fully goes her own way, with stripping away all that makes British folk so recognisable. No exuberance, no "traditional" instruments, no stacked instruments, nothing.

Take 'Conflict Of Minds', the second song on the album. The beautiful vocal melody is accompanied by an acoustic guitar setting the pace of the song. The defining instrument is the acoustic bass guitar that meanders through the whole song. Atmospherics and synths colour in the background of 'Conflict Of Minds'. It all results in a hybrid song spanning the time that has passed between 1969 and 2021, but most of all shows inner beauty.

The opening and title song is more along the first category but also a strategically placed song, as it bridges what came before and what is to come. 'Saturday Moon' holds something mysterious in the way Acda sings (with herself), around her the guitars weave patterns around her voice, making the song twirl in a modest but oh so pleasant way. It may become boring for those reading all my posts, but once again I hear the influence of late Norwegian singer St. Thomas in the choir singing in this song. In the subdued way all sing together this mood comes forward that excludes joy in general but certainly shows the joy of singing together. 'Saturday Moon' is an ideal introduction to an album that is about to present the listeners with a few surprises.

I already reviewed the single extensively a few weeks ago, but again I want to stress how good this song is. So much is going on vocally and musically. My ears can hardly believe what is happening. Once again time and space are combined to bring the best of several musical eras together. Slowly but surely the song gets more body. The drums are relaxed, yet firm, playful, as if all is allowed. An electric guitar solo splits the song in two. The coda is fully psychedelic and ever weirder. The centre piece of this album.

Promo photo: Jurgen Augusteyns

Reading the bio, written by Chris Eckman, her band mate in Distance, Light & Sky, Chantal Acda decided to let all conventions go and work on this album all alone, until she started to feel lonely and brought in artists that she loved to work with, including her partner, drummer Eric Thielemans. This does explain the two faces of Saturday Moon. The bare songs are the singer on her own with perhaps a few embellishments from the friends. The band songs are the ones that got away from the original concept. Both with magnificent result. At that moment a beautiful song like 'Wolfmother' still has to come. Not a single song will let you escape the mood nor let you down. The level of musicianship and imagination remains constant, I assure you.

Chantal Acda decided to let all conventions behind and created her own universe along the way. This is her album and one she can be incredibly proud of. The mix of music and the musicality on Saturday Moon is incredible. An album that is a joy to listen to, allowing its listeners to discover all the different layers the music contains and above all the different voices of Chantal Acda. There are days that I have to do with a whole lot less. Mission accomplished, I conclude.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Saturday Moon here:

https://chantalacda.bandcamp.com/album/saturday-moon

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

10 Singles 2021/12

And another week gone. No lift off of corona sanctions in sight. So we will just have to be a little more patient. To help you in that department, we have collected another bunch of recently released singles. Some older, some new, one as far as I'm aware not even released at this point in time, but should be as fast as possible, as it is so incredibly good. We start with a song that is released as an introduction to two "best off" cassette tapes to be released soon to be followed by songs from bands from the Balkan peninsula, all the way south to New Zealand, before moving to the U.S. and back to The Netherlands at the end. Enough suspense, click on the link below. Sit back and relax while you listen to this new set of singles.

We Are Fucked. Spilt Milk

There were days that The Avonden front man Marc van der Holst sang in English. His music was recorded as lo-fi as possible. I have the impression I can hear him switch on the recorder and walk back to the spot where the mike is standing or hanging. The result is a small song. One man, one acoustic guitar and a female voice, slowly changing into a small choir. Listening again, I think I can hear an organ as well in the background or is it my brain adding it? I have mentioned Norwegian singer St. Thomas several times over the past years. The whole concept and choice of music of St. Thoams is recognisable in We Are Fucked.

Musically the music may be more bare than The Avonden's, the hand of Van der Holst is undeniably there. We Are Fucked may be a weird title for a song, at the same time it is a small, very sympathetic song. Having been released on cassette only somewhere around 2010, Spilt Milk's repertoire is to be re-released on cassette soon. We Are Fucked is an extremely nice introduction to the two albums to come. The video is just as sympathetic as the song is. In my book the only one fucked here is the person not taking a listen to a small, beautiful song with a bit strange title. Knowing The Avonden and now We Are Fucked, I'm getting more and more convinced that Rivella must be Marc van der Holst favourite drink.

Bell-Like E A R. The Puzzle Is Cast

Early each month The Puzzle Is Cast, a duo from Athens, Greece, drops another song, on its way towards an album. Two of the songs have come by already and no, it is not the easiest music to digest. Bell-Like E A R starts out like a meditation, new age kind of music. The bells with different but dark tones set the mood. Had it stayed this way, I would have refrained from writing. Slowly but surely moods are added, sound hovering or crawling like a snake over the sand, in twisting and turning muscle retractions, are added to the deep bells that play the same sequence over and over. An acoustic guitar joins in with a long flourish of notes. A bass joins and that point it is possible to imagine a drummer to join, to change the whole direction of the song into prog rock territory. It doesn't, lending Bell-Like E A R it's unique character. It's like listening to a soft interlude on the 'Tubular Bells' album, with a distinctive eastern flavour. Interesting and certainly a candidate for .No's radio show Kairos.

Control. Hooverii

From mysterious instrumentals to psych rock is a smaller step than one might imagine. The key word is mysterious. This element is always a part of the best psychedelic rock music. And Control has this quality. Not that Hooverii, an L.A. band, is unique but at least in Control it offers all that a band like this should. Besides having enough of mind-expanding sounds in its music, it has that old organ sound that is allowed to step forward into the spotlight regularly, giving Control a great melodic injection in all the right moments. It defines the sound of Control. The guitar is distorted beyond recognition every once in a while, but mixed nicely into the mid-level of the mix, so it does not get dominant. My final comment is on the melody of the vocals. Nice and sweet the changes are. Like in most psych bands the singing is a part of the mix, but not as rigid. This is a front man singing and not a band member as in several psychrock bands. Most likely because he's a good singer. The melodies deserve this spot as well and then again comes that descending progression of the organ. What more can I write then Control is one of the nicer singles in this genre I've heard over the past months and make me look forward to the album 'Water For The Frogs'.

Amateur. Current Joys

The label Secretly Canadian announced a new signing recently, Current Joys. An album was announced and introduced with this single. Nick Rattigan the man behind Current Joys has been active for some time already but for the first time crosses my ears. Amateur may describe Nick Rattigan adequately, but not what happens on Amateur. Despite the fact that the heart of the  song is repeated over and over, listen to the piano and the matching singing, the song becomes more complex by the 10 seconds. How many themes can be found over the same note progression? So whoever arranged Amateur, is all but. There are so many musical motives to follow that having two ears only is not enough to follow all what is going on at the same time. A new variation invariably draws my attention away what from went on before, except for that prominent piano. I knew nothing of Current Joys until today. The introduction is quite nice though. In May 'Voyager' will be released.

Black And Chrome. Khirki

More music from Greece today, but the music could not be more different. The sleeve picture on Spotify shows a Guns 'N' Roses like art, the music is even a tat tighter. Khirki plays metal in style of Therapy?. A drummer who punishes the skins of his drumkit instead of playing them. The bass fills in all the holes so that the guitar is free to fulfil all other duties. A  tight rhythm, dark power chords and lead lines. Yes, there a bunch of overdubs in the song. The singing is rough as it should be without overdoing it. Not being a metal fan, there's no denying there, there are songs that I do like and Black And Chrome is one of them. Clocking in at 6.30 minutes, with a long, long intro. The band gives the impression to be an instrumental band, without me wanting to turn the music off. And yes, I've heard this all before and so will you, and yes, Black And Chrome is worthwhile to get to know.

Noyalain (Burn). Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell

Lisa Gerrard has a long career with the band Dead Can Dance behind her, but somehow that all passed me by. This single has attracted my attention. It starts off as a song from the African steppes translated into a modern cadence. Slowly but surely the song grows and grows, until it becomes a symphonic rock song Pink Floyd in its hey day would not have been ashamed of playing. The way this transition is played out in the four minutes the song takes is simply fantastic. There's a lot of power in the synths and drums that become a part of the sound, sending the song in a different direction. In my mind's eye I can see this song being played in a movie playing in Africa, with shots of a setting sun growing ever larger shadows on the ground, colours flying around in the short African twilight. Noyalain is that beautiful alright.

Gimme The Shakes. The Dogmatics

From the majestic sounds of Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell we move to early 80s punkrock of The Dogmatics. Gimme The Shakes is an up tempo (of course), light-hearted fun song. The music is steeped in early garage rock like The Kingsmen, proto punk of The Stooges and the great pop singles of the 60s. This single contains so much pop that  I would not be surprised if it simply popped in front of my ears from sheer pop overload. The chorus is so nice and so easy to sing along to. Believe it or not all band members get a solo in the 2.21 minutes the songs lasts. Guitar, bass, drums and sax all come by. Sitting still is not an option with this The Dogmatics classic. Yes, it sounds like it's old. It is and was influenced by even older music. But this is a hit song if I ever heard one. Let's party and dance, folks. Even it is in our minds or living room these days.

Hawks & Doves (Tali Remix). Reb Fountain

'Reb Fountain' was one of my great discoveries last year. The album made an immediate impression. So far lasting as well. A new single is released from the album. Usually I pass those by if I already wrote about the album. This is the exception to the rule as Hawks & Doves is released in a remix version by Tali. The result is an even better song. There's no other word for it. 'Hawks & Doves' opens 'Reb Fountain' setting the tone of the album with its serious intention and execution. Of course that part is still there, but Tali manages to add a few layers, including mystery and depth. The result is a different song that highlights all that was good about it in the first place and adds to it, making Reb Fountain shine even more as a singer. Usually I'm not a fan of remixes, but here's the exception to the rule. A remix made in heaven it seems Hawks & Doves is.

Heathens. Manntra

Time for a little melodic metal. Manntra mixes the Teutonic sound of Rammstein with the Armenian metal of System of a Down. The Balkan band knows how to rock out and how to hold back, resulting in a single that has the right mix of the light and the shade as Black Sabbath's Tommy Iommi calls it. Manntra holds its own as well. Heathens may be a tight metal song for 75%, it is 100% melodic and tight riffed in the right spots. The result is a song and not noise, as many metal bands result to and find me dropping away. The lyrics are of war, fear and no surrender. Perhaps looking back at times long gone and of wars of ancestors of centuries ago. They might have run away hard, should they have heard this sort of music on the battlefield where nowadays a metal festival is organised. Just a thought coming to my mind listening to Heathens. Music of the devil it is then.

I Feel Love. Colin Benders feat. Cato van Dyck and Sven Hammond Big Band

For nine weeks I'm watching Matthijs van Nieuwkerk's new tv show and could, perhaps should have written about it weeks ago. It is not all about music but music plays a huge role. Not in the least because of that fine band standing underneath and on the scaffolding  behind Matthijs' table. This Saturday he invited Colin Benders, better known as Kyteman. Benders was rumoured to have emersed himself in synthesizers and boy is that true. On the stage was a huge contraption filled with knobs, cords, plugs and one tiny keyboard on top of it all. It reminded me of the Pink Floyd film, 'Live in Pompeii' where in between you can see Roger Waters opening a box and throughout in between the movie's live sequences, twiddle with the knobs of his new synthesizers in what is to become one of the songs on 'Dark Side of the Moon', 'Any Colour You Like'.

Benders does something like that here. He recreates the pulsing beats of Georgio Moroder's production for Donna Summer's number 1 hit 'I Feel Love'. Summer's part is taken over by My Baby's Caro van Dyck. I can only presume that many of the sounds were pre-programmed and Benders can call them up by twiddling the knobs of his synths all tied together by the cords.

It already sounded great, not to forget huge and then the big band, of which some of the members played in Kyteman's Orchestra, joins the electronic pulses. The real drums are added to the synth drums. The bass to the synth bass. The strings come in and the sound gets so incredibly solid. Donna Summer's version is a disco classic. It may have been the first song getting the moniker disco (and not soul). This version is the step into the 21st century for the song. If I were Benders I'd release it today as this is a number one hit if I ever heard one. It has everything. What a version. What power.

Wo.

Listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

When I Live My Dream, The Top Gear EP. David Bowie

At the end of 2020 the English Banquet Records released a 12” EP by David Bowie under the name “When I live my dream, the Top Gear Sessions”. Bowie sings 5 self-written songs accompanied by his guitar and a seven-piece orchestra. The whole thing was recorded on December 18, 1967 and broadcast on the radio on the 24th. This was not previously available on vinyl. Manager Kenn Pitt wanted to showcase David in many ways and although everyone realized his talent, his music was far from commercial and not successful in the beginning. Titles: Love you till Tuesday, In the heat of the morning, Little bombardier, Silly boy blue and When I live my dream. If you collect Bowie albums on vinyl, this is a must have for a reasonable price. Here is the link https://www.banquetrecords.com/david-bowie/when-i-live-my-dream%2C-the-top-gear-ep/CLIFF12EP001

Tineke

 

Listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

 

Pandemos. Beebe Gallini

A few singles have already come by in the past couple of weeks and here comes the whole record. Beebe Gallini does not hold back and throws a net over the whole wide world under which nothing but garage rock can be heard. Sweet and dirty, rough and nice are some words describing the band's debut album quite accurately.

Take a listen to Pandemos and the whole of (garage and punk) rock washes over you. The album is one big feast of recognition, coming through to me in the form of original songs. Nobody objects when hearing a familiar chord progression when listening to 'My Way Of Thinking' as this is fully a new song using familiar building blocks. Come around till the end of the day to my way of thinking. I don't care, I certainly will.

Beebe Gallini is the other band of Miss Georgia Peach and Travis Ramin and believe it or not, and this may come of a bit of a shock to fans of a softer kind of music, this is the softer of the two. (Now The Short Fuses, that's a hardrockin', dirty outfit!) Together with Amy Larson Pearson (bass and backing vocals) and Moet Wong (lead guitar and backing vocals) the two really rock out.

That rock is of the essential sort. Don't expect a lot of niceties or embellishments. My guess is that what we hear is what it was in the studio. Pandemos is what Beebe Gallini is. It rocks and it rolls. Yes, there are accents in the music giving a little flavour to a song but nothing that is not straightforward.

At this point in time I hear a cover of 'To Love Somebody', one of the very early Bee Gees songs, on the radio show my girlfriend listen to in the morning and I switch on for her nowadays. It is even sweeter than the original, from, so I understand, a singer from one of those tv talent shows. 'To Love Somebody' is a part of Pandemos too. The kind of cover of the song I do not mind hearing. (Full disclosure: Yes, I am an early Bee Gees fan. I truly liked most of the songs as a little boy. And in 2021 I have to admit that 'Staying Alive' is a damn good song.) What it shows, is what someone with a little imagination can do with a song like 'To Love Somebody'. I was even made to believe for a few seconds that I was going to listen to the ballad of Pandemos. Hah, was I put on the wrong foot. It sets the pace for what is still to come alright, including that fine, fine song 'Nobody Loves The Hulk'. All garagerock fans will from this moment onwards, believe me.

You won't hear me saying that Pandemos is an exceptional album. No, it is not, but it is so much garage rock fun. It is a great to spend a half hour with.

Wo.

You can listen to and order Pandemos here:

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pandemos

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Today We're The Greatest. Middle Kids

From the past, 'Lost friends', to the present, today, in almost three years. It is nearly that long ago I was introduced to Middle Kids from Sydney, New South Wales. Reading up on my review from May 2018, I noticed that I liked the album, while having some mixed emotion on the whole album. So, how are we in 2021?

The first comment is the easiest, after one listening session I decided to want to write on the album. That instinct is almost infallible, exceptions noted, both ways. Again Middle Kids manages to present music on the edge of rock, synthpop and a tendency towards bombast. The mix results in what I do want to call pop.

This does start with the voice of Hannah Joy. Her voice has an innocence to it that draws the music of Middle Kids into the pop segment. Even when the noise swells and a song gets a little rougher. Hannah Joy is a quality asset of Middle Kids. It's the kind of voice I like to listen to and unfortunately for a lot of bands that is what music starts with, the perceived quality of the voice of the singer. For me she has it in abundance.

Today We're The Greatest is an album that was conceived in a special place and at a special time for the band. Hannah Joy and Tim Fitz relocated to Los Angeles to work on the album and record it there with producer Lars Stalford. Drummer Henry Day came over once the recording started. At the same time Joy and Fitz were expecting their first baby. In fact, the then Fitz-Day foetus even makes a cameo appearance on 'Run With You', making it the youngest rockstar ever?

That, albeit loving, gimmick apart, Middle Kids again presents an album that in part is nice, but not special and in part excels, making Today We're The Greatest a more than average album. Each and every song is pleasant to listen to and some are very good, with the ballad 'Lost In Los Angeles' topping the bill for me.

The title theme of that third album is easy to predict. It must be the future, right?

Wo.

You can listen to and order Today We're The Greatest here:

https://middlekids.bandcamp.com/album/today-we-re-the-greatest

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Mirror. Eelke

An artist name like Eelke might pose some issues in other countries, in The Netherlands Eelke Ankersmit is quite alright. Releasing songs since 2014, the former conservatory student in 2021 released a mini album that shows him a master on edges of alternative rock and pop. It only took me one listening session with his song 'Mirror', the title song of the album, to convince me I'd better listen some more.

With Mirror I did get a bit confused. Had I not read the name of the artist, I could have been fooled into listening to Tim Christensen's new album, with or without The Damn Crystals. The style of music is so uncannily close that it is almost scary. Being a huge fan, I certainly don't mind listening to a record that I could mistake for the real thing. This is a complement to Eelke and I can't give a much bigger one in this segment of music.

On Mirror Eelke plays a melodic kind of rock that fills my whole room. This is a spacious and well filled mix. The instruments all come together in huge wall of sound, creating the image of omnipresence. This is not the whole story though. In 'Leech' the volume goes down and like with Tim Christensen a Crowded House element is added to the whole. 'Leech' is a more acoustic number, that receives an edge at the right moments.

It is exactly this point in between alternative rock and pop that makes Mirror such an intriguing album. By searching for these edges in his music, Eelke makes his songs so much more interesting, as they in a way are unpredictable. At the basis, each and every song can be played with an acoustic guitar at a camp fire. From there instrument for instrument and layer for layer are added. Take 'Something Anything'. Just listen to what the bass guitar does in the song. The instrument does not play a solo, but is the main solo instrument of the song, with all the runs and notes it is playing. Plugging the holes in between the chords in a beautiful way. That the guitars later on play a harmonised solo is only a nice addition to that beautiful basis. It goes to show that Eelke and his team have a nice ear for details.

"The focus song" is 'Mirror'. I have already commented on this use of words recently, so will refrain here. The choice is totally right though. If you don't like the song, you better have your ears screwed on again. (I know, taste and such.) 'Mirror' is a great rock song that should easily be able to reach the rest of the western world. If Tim Christensen can, Eelke should with this song as well. To my ears it has it all.

Mirror, summing up, is an album to check out. It simply spreads musical joy.

Wo.

You can listen to and buy Mirror here:

https://eelke.bandcamp.com/album/mirror-2

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Bowie for Dummies # 26

A few months have passed, so it's time to share the latest additions to the largest blogpost in the history of WoNoBlog with you. Click on the link below and step into David Bowie heaven.

Wo.

 

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2017/01/bowie-for-dummies.html

 

We've added some Bowie to our Spotify playlist as well:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

 

Skellig. David Gray

David Gray draait inmiddels bijna dertig jaar mee, maar weet zich toch weer te vernieuwen op Skellig dat anders klinkt dan zijn meest succesvolle albums, maar wel het vertrouwde hoge niveau haalt.

Het is vooralsnog verrassend stil rond het nieuwe album van de Britse muzikant David Gray, terwijl hij met White Ladder toch een million-seller op zijn naam heeft staan. Ik vind persoonlijk vrijwel al zijn albums goed en ook Skellig heeft me weer aangenaam verrast. Het album is voorzien van een wat traditioneler aandoend, zeer stemmig en soms wat atmosferisch geluid, dat wat minder de kant van de pop op gaat dan de meest succesvolle albums van David Gray. Het is een geluid dat soms ruw en oorspronkelijk klinkt, maar het steekt allemaal weer razend knap in elkaar, net als de songs van de Britse muzikant. Wederom een bijzonder fraai album van David Gray.

De Britse singer-songwriter David Gray maakte halverwege de jaren 90 drie albums die echt bijna niemand opvielen, maar werd een wereldster met het in 1998 verschenen en terecht uitvoerig bejubelde White Ladder. Sindsdien is het succes van David Gray helaas weer deels verdampt, maar de Britse muzikant staat nog altijd garant voor uitstekende albums, zoals hij twee jaar geleden nog liet horen met Gold In A Brass Age, dat ik schaar onder zijn betere albums. 

Deze week verscheen een nieuw album van David Gray en ook Skellig had niet veel tijd nodig om me te overtuigen. White Ladder van David Gray viel 23 jaar geleden op met folky songs, die een eigentijds tintje kregen dankzij subtiele flirts met elektronica. De rol van deze elektronica heeft David Gray sindsdien langzaam maar zeker afgebouwd en ook Skellig doet niet veel moeite om modern te klinken. 

Skellig werd gemaakt met vooral Ierse muzikanten, onder wie Robbie Malone en David Kitt en zangeres Niamh Farrell. De muzikanten hebben gekozen voor een redelijk compact arsenaal aan instrumenten. De songs op Skellig moeten het voor een belangrijk deel doen met piano, gitaar, bas en drums, waarna de Britse klassieke muzikante Caroline Dale de songs hier en daar nog wat verder mag invloeden met haar cello. 

Ondanks het beperkte aantal instrumenten klinkt Skellig zeker niet Spartaans, maar wel wat traditioneler, misschien stiekem ook wat Keltischer en zeker atmosferischer dan de vorige albums van David Gray. Ik ben persoonlijk zeer gecharmeerd van het sfeervolle geluid op het nieuwe album van de Britse muzikant, die zijn muziek wat verder heeft teruggebracht tot de essentie.

Toch klinkt Skellig geen moment kaal, zeker niet wanneer de cello de lege ruimte fraai inkleurt, en het is ook zeker geen eenvormig album. David Gray keert op zijn nieuwe album terug naar zijn roots met songs vol invloeden uit de folkrock, maar is ook de lekker in het gehoor liggende songs van zijn meer pop georiënteerde albums niet vergeten, wat prachtige songs oplevert, die zich ook nog eens makkelijk opdringen. 

De albums van David Gray pik je er alleen al door zijn stem meestal makkelijk uit, maar Skellig borduurt wat minder voortvarend voort op het zo herkenbare David Gray geluid dan zijn voorgangers. Enerzijds door het smaakvolle geluid zonder al te veel opsmuk, maar ook de zang klinkt hier en daar net wat anders, zeker wanneer David Gray zijn vocalen laat omringen door de mooie stem van Niamh Farrell.

De muziek van de Britse muzikant had altijd al iets melancholisch of zelfs weemoedigs en dat is niet veranderd op zijn nieuwe album, waarop de melancholie in de zang en de teksten nog wat wordt versterkt door de sfeervolle maar ook vaak wat donkere klanken. Het voorziet het album van een bijzondere sfeer.

Skellig zal niet zo makkelijk een breed publiek aanspreken als White Ladder bijna 25 jaar geleden deed, maar liefhebbers van mooie popsongs met een folky inslag moeten makkelijk kunnen vallen voor het nieuwe album van David Gray. Zelf ben ik als een blok gevallen voor het nieuwe album, dat bijna een uur lang betovert met stemmige klanken, uitstekende zang en songs van het niveau dat we inmiddels kennen van David Gray. 

Skellig is ook nog eens een lockdown album dat de sfeer van de rare wereld waarin we al bijna een jaar leven fraai weet te vangen. Het levert nog een aantal extra bonuspunten op. David Gray draait inmiddels heel wat jaren mee, maar hij weet me met Skellig toch weer te verrassen. Dat is knap.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Luister naar onze Spotify Playlist om uit te vinden waar we over schrijven:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Hidden Gems. The Blue Stones

Does the world need another guitar-drums duo? That could be a fair question but not in the case of The Blue Stones. Having been shaken and stirred by the single announcing Hidden Gems, 'Spirit', my ears were a-ready for Hidden Gems. The album does not disappoint for a second.

The Blue Stones is a duo from Windsor, Ontario in Canada. Frontman Tarek Jafar and drummer Justin Tissier formed the band when they were in college. In 2018 the band released an album called 'Black Holes'. For Hidden Gems it worked with producer Paul Meany and according to the narrative coming with the album, Meany challenged the band to come up with better details in its songs, musically and lyrically. This resulted in an album with more than enough rough edges to remain an alternative rock band but it also contains more pop elements allowing for songs that are extremely pleasant to listen to. The result is that I'm thinking about The Black Keys regularly but that's only part of the story. In the rhythms of a song like 'One by One' more modern rhythms are presented, suggesting a 2021 album and not a 2011 one, to mention the year The Black Keys really went big. On a song like 'Careless' the duo even goes off the deep end as far as I'm concerned. This is Twenty One Pilots territory, i.e. Paul Meany's, and not mine. 'Careless' can't be further away from that single, that got me into The Blue Stones! Lucky for me, it's an exception.

All this results in an album that is impossible to play as a duo on stage. For that there are too much synths and other digital sounds on Hidden Gems, as well as overdubs. That is not my problem and I chose to take the album as it comes. There aren't any rules that say a duo has to be a duo on stage, nor that it has to play what can be heard on an album. 

The Blue Stones, did the duo have lapis lazuli in mind when they named the band?, surely rocks out regularly. Sometimes colouring neatly between the lines and at times rocking wildly. Influences range from The White Stripes, of course, The Black Keys, Blood Red Shoes is in this mix, but also The Stone Roses in the lightest of ways. Just listen to that groove of 'LA Afterlife'. Another song that I would not expect from an alternative rock duo, but what a groove.

Overseeing the whole album, it may well be that alternative rock purists will have a hard time with Hidden Gems, but for me that one exception aside, this album is fine. 'Spirit' remains the highlight though. This is where The Black Keys meets Blood Red Shoes and the band totally rocks out. I love this song.

My advice, give the album a chance. It's worth it.

Wo.

You can order and listen to Hidden Gems here:

https://thebluestones.bandcamp.com/album/pre-order-hidden-gems

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Carnage. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Is there a future for The Bad Seeds or has Warren Ellis pushed all the other musicians out of that warm nest? 'Ghosteen' was attributed to The Bad Seeds but there hardly was a role there for most musicians. Strangely enough this could have been the other way around on Carnage. Some songs get a full band treatment with no Bad Seeds in sight.

Having come on board with Nick Cave only with 'Pushing The Sky Away', after abhorring him in the 1980s, with Carnage the now 60 something Cave has put me under his spell once again. I still can not listen to his album every moment of the day, but he's got me alright. With Carnage he scores four times in a row, and 'Dig! Lazarus! Dig! is there already in hindsight.

On Carnage Nick Cave and Warren Ellis present almost sacral music, like on 'Ghosteen'. Modern classic could almost be an appropriate term as well. This is music that is so serious, so profoundly deep that it goes to the core of being human. If being human means having the ability to invent stories, I'm quoting Yaval Noah Harari here, it also certainly means being able to write music to these stories and play that music on instruments. Music through the ages has been used to make stories, like religion, more clear, stronger and sacral, as music moves most humans more than anything else, besides profound shocks in life.

Nick Cave has had a shock of the kind no parent should have to live through. This shock has been put into music; what else when you're a musician. The kind of music that comforts, sustains, supports. Huge chunks of Carnage and 'Ghosteen' are church music for a secularised world.

I am only listening to Carnage for the first time and all this comes out. There's no stopping me as to how this music is touching me on different levels. It touches me musically, as I respond to the music on a primary level, to the beauty it contains. It touches me on a spiritual level, as it makes me think about well-being and state of mind. It touches me philosophically as it makes me realise what this music can stand for in the modern world.

I had to stop writing at this point. It's days and multiple listening sessions later. The world has to wait until 28 May for the album to be released physically. One thing is certain, I'll be on the doorstep, jabs and Covid lockdowns permitting. In my perception of Nick Cave, that of the late arrival to his career, on Carnage, together with Warren Ellis, he has done the impossible, topping 'Ghosteen'. Carnage is just as impressive but allows more of the world in. Was 'Ghosteen' the epitome of isolation, withdrawal and (soul)searching for a meaning where there's none to be found, Carnage also looks outside. As I already wrote, this should have been the band album. No matter how small that role would have been. Simply because it is more earthlike and solid in some places.

No matter how hard, it does look like Nick Cave was ready to embrace life again when he made this album. The result is a superior album that combines the subtlest of sounds with a little roughness going with his slowly advancing age. Carnage is nothing but extremely impressive.

Wo.

Listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

Keep Me Glued. Local Drags

Local Drags is a U.S. band in the best of the alternative rock tradition that country has. Ever since powerpop bands crept up in the wake of the punk revolution, the U.S. has produced bands that excel in this kind of music. Local Drags is another branch added to a firmly rooted tree.

Looking at the band's Bandcamp page, the first message from the Springfield, Illinois band is "Loud Gin Blossoms", as apparently someone at a show once shouted. Now I haven't played my Gin Blossom albums for a while, I think I have two, but I can live with that. Just like the rocking side of Fountains of Wayne or Weezer. Older bands like The Knack or The Romantics come by as well.

Name dropping is all fine but not if the songs on Keep Me Glued do not have the quality to even start comparing. In that compartment Local Drags totally delivers. The band rocks out, loud and tight, but never without losing what music in my ears is about, melody and fun. Keep Me Glued is filled to the brim with both, so there's no need for the invitation the title suggest. This album does that all by itself. This conclusion brings me to the band that I have to think most of listening to the album: Green Day. This trio may play in a more punkrock style than Local Drags does, the result is the same, airtight rocksongs that demand singing and moving along to.

I can't help noticing the U.K. element as a part of the music of Local Drags. English bands usually are more after a melody and that is where the two musical worlds come together on Keep Me Glued. It's not for nothing that a song like 'Girl From Mars' plays through my head every once in a while when listening to a song like 'Cash Bar'. It literally results in the best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned.

With Keep Me Glued Local Drags released its second album after 'Shit's Looking Up' from 2019. In between two EPs were released. For me it's an introduction, so I cannot compare. I can't imagine this not being a nice step forward, listening how pleasantly melodic and tight this mix of punk, rock and powerpop sounds. The kind that just puts a smile on my face on any day.

Wo.

You can listen to and order Keep Me Glued here:

https://localdrags.bandcamp.com/album/keep-me-glued

or here:

https://www.stardumbrecords.com/collections/lps/products/local-drags-keep-me-glued-lp

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g

10 Singles, 2021/11

With another week gone, it's time to do another roundup. You will notice that there's a lot of Dutch artists in there, as I started to realise while writing. The order in which I take on singles is random in so far that I follow what comes in and what I hear on the radio that I like. On average, where new singles are concerned, that last one does not happen too much. There are three in here though, and all Dutch. Do I review all singles? No, if during the first listen a song does not have any kind of appeal, I stop listening and scratch it from the list. When I do hear something, I take it on a second time and by the third, I've formed an opinion and move on to the next. With some New Zealand, U.S. and Italy in there, it's not all about The Netherlands. Should you feel like forming your own opinion, click on the link below and listen along. There's a question somewhere below as well. I'm looking forward to an answer, so feel free to share your view.

Better Way. The Wild West

Six ladies from Los Angeles, all singer-songwriters in their own right, got stuck in their homes just like everyone else in the world. They started to meet online and from just talking to each other on the state of affairs in life, they turned to making music together. With Better Way they present themselves under the moniker The Wild West. Don't bother taking out your torches and blow waves, Better Way is everything but wild. (They do all live out west.) Better Way is a beautiful country-tinged ballad, where acoustic guitars and harmony singing take the lead. Together they sing in oh so nice ways providing the song with different colours. They all alternately take a lead line while they do duties on the harmonies as well. Whether we can expect more, I can't tell, but I would not be surprised when there's more to come. With Better way The Wild West has dropped a quite nice calling card to the world.

Middle Finger. The Dropkick Murphys

It's 20 years ago this year that I got introduced to the Boston lads of Irish decent. Some great concerts I've seen since, but to be honest, I kind of lost interest in the previous decade. Although it was nice, it also became a little more of the same per record. Now a new single was announced, I did not mind taking a peak. The sound is more traditional than in the past. The punk - Irish folk mix has not left of course. Far from, no, it is the traditional instruments that are brought forward a bit more. The accordion and the tin whistle are very prominent. The lyrics about not being able to keep that middle finger down, are less traditional Irish lyrics but then, have the defining moments of Ireland's history not been about that middle finger that couldn't be kept down whenever an Englishman walked by? Because of the tempo and the lyrics, Middle Finger guarantees The Dropkick Murphys a live and pub hit for certain. This is too great fun to pass by.

Like An Enemy. Nina June

Nina June is a Dutch singer from Amsterdam. She sought a famous producer to work with her on the music for her upcoming album and found Duncan Mills (Florence + Machine, Jake Bugg, The Vaccines). Speaking of catching a big fish. The result is an extremely pleasant pop song where Nina June's voice glides over a fairly slick, alternative pop track. This description does not bode well, but your wrong in this account. Like An Enemy has this dark side that shows through. The darkness shields a little mystery that is certainly there and shines though in the layered sounds of the single. It all allows Nina June to sing her song with a few layers as well. At some points she seems to come from all sides, omnipresent are the oohs and aahs. The result is an addictive song that so easily can be played several times in a row, while I still discover new sounds and layers.Without going for the bombastic sound of Florence c.s., Nina June does present layered music, but so much more subtle. I know what I prefer alright. She's totally cool on this single.

Don't Cry Me A River. Nona

Another, young Dutch singer on the blog. Nona van der Wansem presents her new single just as confidently as Nina June. Don't Cry Me A River is a song that could be called modern soul. It has a more modern beat behind it and everything suggesting horns is scrapped. The groove is there though. Although the song at first reminds me of songs that are already out there, it slowly but surely gets into its own stride and impresses. It has little details that make me love it as well. "Now I leave your jealous ass behind", is followed by suppressed sniggering, making her point and scoring. Joe Cocker's 'Cry Me A River' remains my personal favourite with this title but Don't Cry Me A River certainly is a nice addition to my song collection.

To Be Fine. Louisa Nicklin

Let's move down under to our antipodes in New Zealand. Louisa Nicklin has announced her debut album. If we in NL are to believe the good folks at Flying Nun in Auckland, and by now I have no reason not to, she has made quite an impression on the live circuit already in the past few years. To Be Fine is a dark song, with besides the drums and voice instruments that all hold back. This creates a mood that conjures up a certain tension in the music. In her singing Louisa Nicklin lays some vibrato, moving in the direction of Antony. For me that is dangerous territory but I notice that in To Be Fine she stay at my good side. I am fine,where Louisa Nicklin "tried to be fine", as she sings, but apparently failed. Behind her a sparse bass and elementary guitar part accompany her singing. Half way another instrument moves in, but I have a hard time determining what it is. A cello or some kind of horn? The dark notes confuse me, I notice. A bass clarinet? I decide to settle for that. Anyone who knows please respond. To Be Fine is not as surprising as Reb Fountain's music last year, but certainly a nice introduction.

Mirror. Eelke

After releasing three singles singer Eelke releases his first EP titled 'Mirror', of which the title song is the "focustrack", a word I hear more and more these days. Management speak aside. I'm listening to Mirror right now and hear music I certainly like. The song contains a lot and is not a song that fits easily into a single niche. Eelke is rocking out alright in the focustrack. Mirror rocks but also has a warm side to it, that comes forward in the organ, the song contains a ripping organ solo as well. Eelke's voice has the right pop feel to get noticed. People listening to pop music over the past decades will recognise more than enough to easily feel at home. If I have to name one name, it's Danish rockstar Tim Christensen (where did he go?). Eelke's voice has similarities but Mirror also contains the same pop feel Christensen's uptempo rock songs have within them. Now Tim Christensen is silent for ten years, I welcome Eelke in his stead and will rock out with him. The EP is out and I'm sure to check it out soon.

Face Yourself. Death Star Discoteque

A second single of Death Star Discoteque on WoNoBlog. On the one hand Face Yourself is a hard rocking song but it also has an early 80s postpunk vibe. The staccato, rigid kind of music that as far as I was concerned forgot the most important element in music, the music, the melody, that what makes music so much fun to listen to and sing along to. Face Yourself, in other words, finds itself on dangerous territory , musically. Although the singer sings with the staccato phrases topical of the early 80s, the music has two faces. The postpunk and the frivolous sounds that can make a song fun. Face Yourself has exactly that within it. The guitar riff which contains melody and the little riff that dances through the whole song, that is as short as 50s/60s hits were. Everything has been said and done within 2.30 minutes. Powerfully short.

Move Like This. Lucas Hamming

And another Dutch singer this week. It is becoming a little onesided alright. Coincidental it is, but clearly noticeable. Hamming can be found on this blog for some years. A singer that develops his career between alternative rock and pop. Move Like This is an upbeat track that could even work on the dancefloor. No, there's no beats or some such, it is an up tempo song with a funky sound, where Hamming sings in a higher register some of the time. The result is the kind of track that can put a smile on someone's face just from listening. Move Like This contains positive energy and is catchy. A conclusion about a song in a review can be this simple.

Wastin' Time. Quiet Confusion

We move to Italy for a nice dirty rock track. This is true sleaze that lead guitar and fuzz on the bass. It's like wading through a molten tar road. Quiet Confusion is not wasting any time on Wastin' Time. The band comes to its point within seconds. In the first notes the band had me guessing what to expect. When the sleaze kicked in there was no doubt left. The bass goes full out. We are in The White Stripes territory, with a bass player, where a point gets made without fooling around. No, Wastin' Time is not a pretty song, far from, but anyone who wants to rock out for a while in a little joint with about 100 fans submerging under the dirty rock songs will have found what they are looking for with Quiet Confusion.

Shine On. Orange Skyline

Anyone who listen to Radio 2 in The Netherlands in the early morning can't escape the new single of Dutch band Orange Skyline, Shine On. The two djs decided to play the song every morning. The question is whether that is justified. Of course this is a choice of the djs or their station manager, not mine. Shine On certainly is a nice song, but... Orange Skyline lends a lot from several other songs. I hear 'Rocks Off' Primal Scream's hit, the singing is too familiar, Oasis lies just around the corner. This is just the beginning. In short Britpop it is. Should you wish to search for it, you will find the band once before on the blog. My post on a graduation night of the Amsterdam conservatory, with great bands like Elenne May and Dakota. Orange Skyline closed the evening. The singer was a Liam Gallagher clone is noticed. Almost three years later things have not really changed. Orange Skyline is able to write a more than decent Britpop rock song and shines alright.

Wo.

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